Dexter Jackson, the 2008 Mr. Olympia, holds the IFBB Pro League men’s record with 29 professional wins to his credit. It isn’t the overall record because three-time Bikini Olympia champion Ashley Kaltwasser holds that distinction with 37 wins and counting. Both champions had to compete for many years and in a lot of shows to set those records. The question is: Can anyone possibly beat either of them?
Tim Wilkins, Chris Cormier, and Terrick El Guindy devoted a recent episode of “Prime Time Muscle” to the topic. El Guindy noted that Kaltwasser was a track and field athlete in her home state of Ohio, which he feels serves her well on the bodybuilding stage.
“Her ability to maintain the great conditioning weekend after weekend, display her incredible physique weekend after weekend and continue to win shows is impressive,” he said. Kaltwasser has had more opportunities to compete than Jackson did in recent years due to there being more shows in Bikini than Men’s Open bodybuilding. Jackson also retired in 2020, while Kaltwasser has already competed in 2023. Cormier noted that he saw Jackson’s success firsthand as a rival onstage, and he was certainly worthy of all the accolades.
“That guy was etched out, that’s when we gave him the nickname of The Blade,” said the former Iron Man Pro champion. “The Blade was sharper than hell back then.”
The answer to the question of who could possibly beat either or both records: ultimately, it’s to be determined. The issue for any athlete with that goal is that Kaltwasser is still competing at an elite level and she may still have a decade worth of contests to go. Wilkins noted that she may still get as much as 15 or even 20 wins before she calls it a career.
“It would cement that (as) untouchable.”
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